As we continue eastward, we are very much in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains. The short grass “Palouse” area was mentioned in the journals of Lewis and Clark for the shortage of wood for their campfires at night. The lush trees we found today were planted and irrigated in Lyons Ferry State Park and in Palouse Falls State Park. Water continued to contribute to our highlights of the day as we traveled to Palouse Falls, where the tumble of water into the massive plunge pool carve about 10,000 years ago by the Bretz Floods continues to impress us. A bookend to the falls, the calm waters of the Palouse River. There we navigated upstream winding our way through cattails, bulrushes and a bit of tree debris left by a busy beaver. In all it was a lovely, crisp fall day to be exploring in the wake of Lewis and Clark.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 13 Oct 2019
Palouse River | Washington, 10/13/2019, National Geographic Quest
- Aboard the National Geographic Quest
- Pacific Northwest
Linda Burback, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Born in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Linda and her Air Force family moved extensively throughout the U.S. when she was a child. Linda continues to travel and explore a broader spectrum of the world as a naturalist with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geogr...
Read MoreShare Report
Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 8-Day
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
4/22/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Walla Walla, Washington
We awoke today with National Geographic Sea Bird anchored at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers near Sacajawea State Park. A few intrepid explorers set out for a daily survey of birds by way of Zodiac, and we were able to identify 15 different species of birds. Highlights for some guests were seeing a pair of wood ducks and a few big male turkeys, or toms, strutting around the park like they owned the place. After breakfast, all 58 guests disembarked, boarded our trusty motor coaches, and headed into the Walla Walla Valley where we learned about some of the human history and regional wine production. A wildlife highlight of the day was getting an up close and personal view of a Northern harrier, a small slender raptor, near Mill Creek. We’re looking forward to our journey over the next few days, continuing west and down river towards the Pacific Ocean.
4/21/2025
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Palouse River
It was a windy but lovely day on the Palouse River. This morning, we got a chance to take Zodiac tours up the Palouse River, through the reeds, and past the stunning columnar basalt of this incredible ecosystem. Guests saw a porcupine relaxing in a tree, heard the hypnotic singing of red-winged blackbirds, and some even saw a muskrat! How cool! Then folks transferred for a bus ride overlooking the 200-foot-tall Palouse Falls Waterfall upriver. After some afternoon kayaking and a history presentation from our Historian Doug Kenck-Crispin, we pulled anchor and made way along the Snake River to tomorrow’s destination, Walla Walla, Washington!